A TEENAGER has helped give the Clarets the magic touch after entertaining players and supporters with his own brand of trickery.

Card-sharp James Hutchinson has been performing his close-up magic in the executive suites in the James Hargreaves and Bob Lord stands, as well as in front of the Clarets squad in the players’ bar.

The 13-year-old, who lives in Cliviger, incredibly only took up magic last July.

His dad Richard, an industrial chemist, said: “We were in a hotel last July when a young lad was performing magic in the bar. James was fascinated by this and ended up talking to the magician for about an hour.

“Ever since he has been fascinated by magic. He watches Dynamo all the time and he is pretty much entirely self-taught.”

James, who is a student at Unity College, Burnley, has given himself the stage nickname Dynamite and could soon be teaching his hero a new trick or two.

He is always practising his magic tricks around the house in front of Richard, mum Susan and sisters Abbie, 20, and Sophie, 23.

Richard added: “He is doing it every day.

“There is always a new trick to show us or to try out.

“He is really enjoying it and loves what he is doing.

“He started showing off his tricks when we went in the local pubs, and one day he was performing to a friend who works at Burnley FC.

“We said you should get him in the hospitality suites so they decided to give it a go, and he has been really well received. He goes and performs to the players in the players’ bar as well.”

James has also landed himself a regular Saturday night spot entertaining diners at Nino’s restaurant, Cliviger, and he performed there on New Year’s Eve.

Richard said: “Whether it will turn into a career or not we don’t know at this stage, but he has picked it up incredibly quickly and is enjoying it at the moment.”

James said: “When we went to Silverstone last year there was a magician doing tricks and he showed me one I could do. I really enjoyed it and since then I’ve taught myself some more tricks. it is exciting doing the tricks in front of other people. I would like to do it professionally if I could. I love doing it and would like to carry on with it."